Join us on Thursday, September 24 at 6:00 PM for a special evening dedicated to Tolaini Winery, one of the most exciting estates of Castelnuovo Berardenga, in the southernmost part of Chianti Classico.
Our special guest will be Tommaso Beggiato, Italian Wine Specialist with Banville Wine Merchants, who works closely with the Tolaini family and will guide us through the wines, vineyards, and story behind the estate.
The story of Tolaini begins with Pier Luigi Tolaini, who left his home in Tuscany as a young man with a simple dream: build a successful life in North America, return home, buy land, and make great wine.
That return took almost half a century.
After building one of North America’s successful transportation and logistics businesses, Pier Luigi came back to Tuscany and spent four years searching for the right property. His search eventually led him to Castelnuovo Berardenga, where he discovered the historic Montebello, Vallenuova, and San Giovanni vineyards. When he first saw Montebello’s natural amphitheater of vines, he believed he had found the combination of soil, exposure, and climate he had been looking for. He founded Tolaini there in 1998.
The estate was built around a balance of Tuscan tradition and modern precision. Individual vineyard parcels are vinified separately, fruit is carefully selected, and the winery combines traditional techniques with technology such as optical grape sorting and gravity-flow winemaking.
Tolaini is also deeply connected to the history of the land. Its distinctive logo is based on an ancient Etruscan letter “T,”a tribute to the civilization that inhabited central Tuscany more than 3,000 years ago. A three-meter-high stone bearing the symbol stands at the entrance to the estate.
Pier Luigi worked alongside his daughter Lia Tolaini Banville for more than two decades. Following his passing in 2020, Lia and her three children, Alex, Ali, and Matteo, have continued his vision, preserving the family’s commitment to both Sangiovese and the Super Tuscan wines Pier Luigi loved.
This dinner will tell that story through the glass.
Beef Carpaccio
paired with Tolaini Al Passo Toscana IGT 2022
An elegant opening wine showing ripe cherry, dark berries, Mediterranean herbs, tobacco, and spice. Fresh acidity and polished tannins make it a beautiful match for the delicacy and savory character of the beef.
Porcini & Ricotta Agnolotti
paired side-by-side with:
Vallenuova Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2023
and
Vigna Montebello Sette Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2021
One of the highlights of the evening: a side-by-side look at two expressions of Sangiovese from the same estate.
Vallenuova is elegant, vibrant, and savory, with red cherry, violet, herbs, and spice.
Montebello Sette takes Sangiovese to another level of depth and concentration, showing black cherry, tobacco, leather, licorice, and spice, with refined tannins and a long finish.
The earthy richness of porcini and ricotta creates the perfect setting to experience the differences between these two wines.
Tuscan Beef Stew with Creamy Polenta
paired with Tolaini Valdisanti Toscana IGT 2022
A richer expression of the estate, with cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, cedar, tobacco, and spice. Its structure and depth beautifully complement the slow-cooked beef and creamy polenta.
Tuscan Cheese Selection
paired with Tolaini Picconero 2010 – Special Library Vintage
We will conclude with something truly exceptional.
Picconero is one of Tolaini’s flagship wines and represents Pier Luigi’s ambition to create a great Tuscan wine with the depth and longevity of the finest international reds.
The 2010 Picconero is now beautifully mature, showing layers of dark fruit, plum, tobacco, licorice, spice, and evolved savory notes.
This rare library vintage is being opened especially for this dinner and will provide a memorable conclusion to the evening.
Thursday, September 24
6:00 PM
GVINO Wine Bar
$165 per person, plus tax and gratuity
A four-course Tuscan dinner, five exceptional wines, a rare library vintage, and the opportunity to discover the story of Tolaini with Tommaso Beggiato guiding us throughout the evening.
Seating is limited and advance reservations are required.
Reserve your seats:
https://www.eventcreate.com/e/
We look forward to welcoming you for a special evening in Tuscany.